Democratic presidential contender Tulsi Gabbard, an Iraq war veteran, said Sunday she knows women in the military like Sen. Martha McSally who wouldn't admit they were sexually assaulted, including her closest friend.
'I believe that we still today don't know how rampant sexual assault in the military is, because there is still a fear of retaliation,' Gabbard said at a town hall hosted by CNN at the South by Southwest festival.
Gabbard said she knows people like McSally 'who feel like it's impossible' to come forward with their stories, including her best friend.
Democratic presidential contender Tulsi Gabbard, an Iraq war veteran, said she knows women in the military who won't report their sexual assault
Sen. Martha McSally revealed during a Senate committee hearing that she was raped by a superior while serving in the Air Force
'One of my closest friends still refused to do it,' the representative from Hawaii said.
'Still to this day?,' asked CNN's Dana Bash.
'Still to this day,' Gabbard responded. 'She has never reported what happened to her.'
Gabbard, who serves in the Army National Guard, said there is still a 'stigma' against those who report sexual assault.
'There is a stigma and people who don't want to be known as that one. She or he is that one who went against the team, who turned their back,' she said.
McSally, the first female fighter pilot to fly in combat, said last week that she was raped by a superior officer while serving in the Air Force – and almost left the military over the 'betrayal' she felt.
She said she didn't report it because she didn't trust the system.
Gabbard said she's sat with officials from the Defense Department who don't recognize the 'serious change' needed to bring justice to the victims.
'I have sat through hearings and engaged with leaders from the department of defense in my role as a member of the armed services committee where, unfortunately, there is a lack of recognition, of the serious change that needs to take place for there to be a true path for justice, for victims of sexual assault in the military,' she said.
McSally, a 26-year military veteran, made the stunning disclosure at a Senate hearing on the armed services' efforts to prevent sexual assaults and improve the response when they occur.
She spoke pointedly of her 'despair' over the incident and the need to improve the system so that victims can feel comfortable sharing their stories, calling herself a 'survivor of rape and betrayal.'
'I share the disgust of the failures of the military system and at many commanders who failed in their responsibilities,' she said.
Sen. Martha McSally said she didn't report her assault because she didn't trust the system
Air Force service: Martha McSally was the first female fighter pilot to fly in combat. She revealed she was raped at a Senate hearing last week
The Arizona Republican said she did not report being sexually assaulted because she did not trust the system, and she said she was ashamed and confused. McSally did not name the officer who she says raped her – although she had choice words for commanders who mishandle reported claims of assault.
'Like many victims, I thought the system was raping me all over again,' McSally said. 'But I didn't quit. I decided to stay and continued to serve and fight and lead,' she said.
'To be a voice from within the ranks for women, and then in the House, and now in the Senate. So this is personal for me, too.'
She called herself a 'survivor of rape and betrayal.'
Democratic presidential contender Tulsi Gabbard took part in a CNN town hall at the SXSW festival
Gabbard also addressed her father Mike Gabbard's work with The Alliance for Traditional Marriage, which supported gay conversion therapy
Gabbard took part of the town hall at the annual SXSW festival.
She also addressed some of the controversies that have dogged her presidential campaign, including allegations she supported conversion therapy for gays.
'I personally never supported any kind of conversion therapy. I never advocated for conversion therapy. And frankly, I didn't even know what conversation therapy was until just the last few years,' she said.
Gabbard worked for her father's anti-gay organization in the early 2000s - a group that likened same-sex marriage to incest, pedophilia, and bestiality.
Mike Gabbard, a prominent anti-gay activist in Hawaii who now serves in the state Senate, established The Alliance for Traditional Marriage, which supported gay conversion therapy and referred to homosexuality as 'unhealthy, abnormal behavior that should not be promoted or accepted in society.'
The congresswoman addressed the issue in her town hall.
'I was raised in a very socially conservative home. My father is catholic. He was a leading voice against gay marriage in Hawaii during that time. Again, I was very young, but these were the values and beliefs that I grew up around,' she said.
She said her own travels around the world through the military and serving with gays and lesbians changed her outlook.
Gabbard said she 'served with gay and lesbian and trans service members. We became very good friends and knew in the most deep and visceral way that I would give my life for any one of them. And I knew that they would do the same for me.'
'I ask you to look to my record in congress now for over six years where it is a reflection of what is in my heart and it's a reflection of my commitment to fight for equality for all people. I have 100 percent legislative rating from the human rights campaign that reflects on a whole variety of issues and pieces of legislation how I have carried through on that commitment, which will continue as president and commander in chief,' she added.
Link hienalouca.com
https://hienalouca.com/2019/03/11/tulsi-gabbard-says-she-knows-women-in-military-like-martha-mcsally-who-wouldnt-report-their-attacks/
Main photo article Democratic presidential contender Tulsi Gabbard, an Iraq war veteran, said Sunday she knows women in the military like Sen. Martha McSally who wouldn’t admit they were sexually assaulted, including her closest friend.
‘I believe that we still today don’t know how rampant sexual...
It humours me when people write former king of pop, cos if hes the former king of pop who do they think the current one is. Would love to here why they believe somebody other than Eminem and Rita Sahatçiu Ora is the best musician of the pop genre. In fact if they have half the achievements i would be suprised. 3 reasons why he will produce amazing shows. Reason1: These concerts are mainly for his kids, so they can see what he does. 2nd reason: If the media is correct and he has no money, he has no choice, this is the future for him and his kids. 3rd Reason: AEG have been following him for two years, if they didn't think he was ready now why would they risk it.
Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.
Dianne Reeves US News HienaLouca
https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/03/11/01/10818568-6793507-image-a-144_1552266727723.jpg
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